Classification (optical vs audio instruments): Three devices are used to see distant or tiny objects; one device captures sound. Identify the odd one out.
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AMicroscope
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BSpectacles
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CTelescope
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DMicrophone
Answer
Correct Answer: Microphone
Explanation
Introduction / Context:This item contrasts optical devices with an audio device. Microscopes magnify tiny objects, telescopes magnify distant objects, and spectacles correct vision; all three manipulate light to assist seeing. A microphone, by contrast, transduces acoustic energy into electrical signals for recording or amplification. The task is to isolate the non-optical device among optical ones.
Given Data / Assumptions:
- Microscope → optical instrument for high magnification of small subjects.
- Telescope → optical instrument for viewing distant objects (astronomy/terrestrial).
- Spectacles → corrective optical lenses for eyesight.
- Microphone → electroacoustic transducer for sound capture.
Concept / Approach:Group the devices by primary sensory modality. Three are vision-oriented; one is hearing-oriented. Because the majority manipulate light and the minority manipulates sound, the latter is the odd one under the standard “3 of a kind, 1 different” format.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Tag each option as optical or audio.Microscope, telescope, spectacles → optical.Microphone → audio.Verification / Alternative check:Ask whether lenses are central to the device. Lenses are essential to microscopes, telescopes, and spectacles; microphones use diaphragms and transducers, not lenses.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
They all sit squarely in the optical/vision category.Common Pitfalls:Being misled by the shared “micro-/tele-” prefixes. Focus on function, not morphology of the word.
Final Answer:Microphone